The Last Lion
by WhereTheMildThingsAre
Summary: What is must be like to wake up hundreds, maybe even thousands of years after you went to sleep. Your family and friends are gone, the world has changed, and your partner is in the hands of another. How far would you go to reclaim all that was once yours?


Halloa! Yeah, some of you might know me by my older account -Axel Lives-. That account is now dead. It refuses to let me in, therefore, I've abandoned it. Parting is such sweet sorrow! ...except it really isn't because most of my work under that account was rubbish.

Anyway, let's get down to business. I've decided to hop on the bandwagon and write a fanfiction about Shadow's Ancient Zoidian partner. Now before you go running into a corner and sobbing, only to decide that crying is for weaklings and throw yourself in front of the nearest oncoming vehicle, let me point out a few redeeming qualities to it:

1) The character I've created to be Shadow's original partner is (gasp) not female!  
2) Previously mentioned Not Female Character will not become romantically involved with Raven just because they share a common bond in Shadow.  
3) I have fun, witty characters that I may or may not have stolen from other authors! :D  
4) There is no Redeeming Quality #4!  
5) I consider my skills as far as grammar and vocabulary to be pretty decent.

So there you go. Before we get started, I apologize for the Mega Chapter. If I were some of you, I would probably be hitting the back button right about now... it's pretty daunting. But it will get progressively more interesting as I go on. Or at least that's what I tell myself so I can sleep at night.

Including our lovable main characters, I've thrown in not only some of my own characters, but some of those belonging to the lovely and talented **Schala85**. Because my Zoids fics are not Zoids fics without the Starswords.

A slight warning! I can use some... er, decent amounts of cussing and some of my descriptions can get graphic at times. No, no, I won't be putting sex scenes or anything in there, but I just thought you might like to know where the rating is coming from. So I'll shut up now.

Cheers!  
You Float My Boat

* * *

**DISCLAIMER:** I don't own any of the characters originally in the show. The Starswords belong to Schala85 and the Abendroths, Atreyu, and other assorted characters belong to myself. Er... that's about it.

* * *

**Chapter I: Awake**

I splutter, sticking my forefingers down my throat to incite my gag reflex. Doing so allows me to empty myself of the strange, amniotic-like fluid that had clogged my lungs. A shiver runs through my body as I lie naked on a cold, stone floor. My skin is slick and sticky with the fluid, which still drips lazily from the pod behind me into the puddle I find myself sitting in. Hesitantly, I stand—using my legs for what I'm sure must be the first time in many, many years. Vexation bubbles in my chest as my knees buckle even from this simple motion, the muscles of my body atrophied after years of disuse.

I look around my stone prison, finding it still slightly familiar, but far darker and more neglected than the last time I viewed it. My line of sight travels to the larger pod next to mine and my amethyst eyes widen in surprise and dismay. The pod is vacant, looking as though it were ransacked some years ago, as dust had already begun to collect on it. There is no sign of its occupant.

Each of us were sealed away with a partner... Where, then, was mine?

Shuffling down one of the many hallways, I begin to look for the exit. How much time has passed down here in this dark, dank hole? I have no way of telling. Judging by the look of the temple, however, I can assume that it has been far longer than we'd ever intended to be sealed away.

As I wander the passages, I dimly begin to recall the events that had lead to being sealed away. There were another race of beings, Humans, that had come to inhabit Zi. Of course, being so different as compared to we Zoidians, it was no surprise that conflict erupted. When things drew to a dire point, a few of us were chosen to be sealed away in order to preserve our race, just in case the worst scenario should happen. I at once became eager to know what had become of my people.

At last the exit makes itself known to me, and I stagger into the open air, drinking it in greedily. The sun is high in the sky and burns at my eyes ruthlessly; how long had it been since I'd seen sunlight? When, after some time, my eyes adjust, I am able to look at myself a little closer. Everything seems to be in order... The only thing that seems peculiar is that my once perfectly bronzed skin is now an eerie milk-white due to lack of sunlight.

I frown slightly. Since stepping from the ruins, the sand of the nearby desert has begun to cling to my body, which is still sticky with the strange fluid. Poking my tongue out in childish annoyance, I begin my search for someplace to wash and, perhaps, acquire some clothes.

How much desert there is!

I am not used to all this sand. From my memory, I can only recall lush forests and thriving cities... none of this barren wasteland I see stretching before me. And yet what else is there now? Ah, how my heart aches for what I once knew!

Despite all my pains, however, nature does not turn her back on me. She cares for all her children and I am no exception, it would seem, as I see a grand oasis in the distance. I have been walking for some time now and the sight is a grand relief. My throat aches, burning with each new inhalation and the thought of some cool, clean water only spurs me on all the more quickly.

The feeling of grass between my toes is almost as welcome as the sight of the small pond of water. I eagerly drop down on all fours and submerge my entire head in the water, only resurfacing when the need for air becomes dire. I look around hesitantly. There seems to be no one nearby. Deciding it is safe enough to do so, I slip into the water, enjoying the feeling of light ripples lapping at my sides. I begin to feel a bit more like myself as I wash the sticky, sandy residue off my person; however, my thoughts still wander back to the distressing matter of my missing partner.

Swimming over to the bank, I rest on the grass under the slight shade of a tree to think. I have no way of telling where I am or what point in time it is, therefore, I have no means of deciding where I should go. Yet suddenly, I feel a sharp pain building in the front of my head. A white-hot lance of pain rips consciousness from my grasp, sending me hurtling into a distant memory...

* * *

"Wake up. Hey. I said _wake up_."

I mumble something incoherent and roll over, pulling my sheets tighter around me. The owner of the voice that had been calling me lets out an agitated sort of grunt. Abruptly, I feel the sheets being ripped away and I hurry to cover my eyes from the blaring sunlight filtering into my room.

"You're so lazy. Don't you remember? Today's the day!"

I grumble and sit upright. A young, red haired man looks at me with a disapproving onyx stare. He is the same age as myself and, of course, he is very right. Today is a day that neither of us can afford to be late. Hurriedly, I leap out of bed and begin to wash and dress.

"You didn't have to pull my sheets away, Hiltz," I pout.

"It's your own fault," Hiltz replies callously. "The most important day in our natural lives and you're about to miss it because you wanted to sleep in."

I run out of my room from him and together, we hurry towards the Temple.

"So... you think well actually be chosen, yeah?" I ask hesitantly.

"I have no doubt," Hiltz replies with a confidant smirk. "We show the most potential out of nearly anyone. Even older students."

"Still, that doesn't mean they'll choose us."

"If they don't, it will be a tragedy."

"For us or them?"

"Oh, them, surely."

I couldn't help but laugh. Hiltz was my oldest and closest friend. We'd been together since childhood and even now, at the age of eighteen, we were as brothers. It was hard to believe that soon we might be embarking on a journey that would completely alter the course of our lives. Up until now, everything had seemed so... sheltered.

"Atreyu, wait!"

I pause, hearing my name called out. A grin erupts on my face at the sight of my neighbor; a young, blond-haired girl with beautiful crimson eyes. I snatch her up in a bear hug, chuckling as she emits the most delightful little giggles.

"What are you doing away from your parents, Fiona?" I ask.

"I am going to the ceremony today. Are you?" she asks me.

"Well of course we are! It's very important, wouldn't you say so?" I reply.

"Yes! It is _very_ important," she answers me eagerly.

"Feh. Too important for little kids to be tagging along," Hiltz snorts, folding his hands beside his head.

"I am not a little kid," Fiona pouts, her eyes welling up with tears all the same.

"C'mon Hiltz. You don't want to be reprimanded by Elder Yzzar for making little girls cry again, do you?" I tease.

Hiltz's face pales for a moment; perhaps he is recalling the last punishment he had to suffer through of cleaning the Temple for a week. Rolling his eyes, he walks on, whistling sharply for me to follow. Allowing Fiona to hold my hand, I do so. We make excellent time, as the ceremony has not yet started. Dropping Fiona off with her friend Riece, I continue onwards with Hiltz, meeting up with some of our classmates. There is a girl there, the same age as myself, and I feel my face turn a color to rival that of her fuchsia eyes. This does not escape Hiltz's notice.

"Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeey, Joara!" he catcalls.

The girl meets him with a look of contempt, rolling her eyes. "Shove off, Hiltz."

"C'mon, don't be like that. We ace students have to stick together, right Atreyu?" Hiltz asks me, grinning wolfishly.

"I, er... yes, I suppose," I manage to stutter. "So, um... are you worried about the ceremony, Joara?"

"Worried?" Joara repeats. She pauses, looking upward and tapping her chin in thought. She smiles and shrugs. "No, not really worried. More like excited, I think. Though, I think I'd be pretty disappointed if I were to be turned down."

She laughs and I along with her. Though, I stop quickly. My laugh sounds more like a screech from a strangled rooster. I'm almost thankful when Elder begins the ceremony, as it saves me from any further embarrassment, however, I find myself fidgeting and glancing around me. Joara's twin brother, Beowulf, glares at me sullenly as he stands next to her. He's never liked people getting too close to her.

"Please, if you would Tori, present the Organoids," Elder Yzzar commands.

I flail uselessly. I spaced out and missed most of the opening portion of the ceremony! Oh, no... does that mean Prince Faelan has come and gone? Oh dear, oh dear... Hiltz elbows me roughly in the side, and I yelp.

"Try and stay in this universe, eh, space cadet?" Hiltz teases in a whisper, jerking his head towards a group of Organoids

They are all different in both color, size, and form. Some look similar to lizards, others to dogs or large cats. Some even look like birds. I stiffen as they begin to make their way through the crowd, searching for their destined parter. It's something they already know, I suppose, so the ceremony was over before it began, in a way. I blink as a large, red Organoid stops in front of Hiltz, looking him up and down, prodding him with his snout. At last, seeming satisfied, he drops his head in a sort of bow. Hiltz tosses me a casual smirk, mirroring the gesture.

I watch him in a slightly forlorn manner as he and the red Organoid walk up the steps to the Temple. Only those chosen are allowed to view and take part in the second half of the ceremony: The Naming and The Union. I blanch as I see Fiona riding up the steps on the back of a silver Organoid

"She's a bit young, wouldn't you say?" Joara asks, leaning over.

"Y-Yeah," I stutter. "Oh, but... there goes Prince Leigh as well."

Walking with his head held high was Prince Leigh, younger brother of Prince Faelan. He had snowy white hair and bright lilac eyes, but he seemed to be a very serious young boy, about the same age as Fiona. Faelan would be ordained as King soon, seeing as both their mother and father had passed. Perhaps it was such a tragedy that caused Leigh to seem so very serious.

"Oh, shoot... there goes Beo," Joara huffs. "I was really hoping to be chosen before him, just to show him up for once, you know?"

"I think at this point, I'd be happy to be chosen at all," I say, laughing nervously.

"Well, that's a good point. But we both will be, so you shouldn't worry," Joara assures me.

How she might know this, I have no idea. Perhaps Beowulf had foreseen it? He was a master of the arcane arts of the mind; something that both impressed and frightened me. However, before I can ponder this further, I am rudely interrupted by a snout prodding me in the back. Stiff as a board, I turn my head for a better look. As I thought, it's an Organoid He's reptilian. Large. And black as midnight. I'm almost... _amazed_ by how dark he seems to be. His blue eyes seem like two pools of sky lost in a puddle of empty space. I run a hand through my own midnight lochs, unsure of what to do.

And then he bows. To _me_.

"Well, go on. He won't wait all day, you know," Joara says with a laugh.

There is an Organoid standing next to her; a large cat type. Nodding quickly to her, I make my bow to the Organoid, as low as possible. Upon straightening up, I feel slightly giddy and light-headed as I walk up the temple steps with Joara, our Organoids following.

A handful of others arrive before we are ready to begin.

"Now, those of you who have been chosen bear great responsibility," Elder Yzzar begins. "The Organoids standing beside you are, not only your destined partners, but a piece of each of you. As time wears on, you will find your bond will grow and you will become inseparable. There may be trying times ahead, or happy times... one cannot know. However, it is agreed that from this day forth, you shall face everything as one."

I nod the affirmative, looking to the black Organoid He tilts his head, regarding me curiously.

"And now, we shall proceed with The Naming, beginning with this young gentleman. Do not worry if you do not have a name prepared; when it is your time, all will be made apparent to you," Elder Yzzar says, making his way around the room.

I panic. Of course, I had names in mind, I mean... this is something every Zoidian dreams about from childhood. But how could I be sure he would like any of the names I had picked out? I glance as the Elder stops in front of Hiltz. My friend stands before his Organoid, looking him up and down. At last, he smiles. And I am surprised. It is not a smirk, something entirely characteristic of Hiltz... but a true smile.

"Ambient," he decides aloud.

The Elder nods and moves on. Oh no, he's getting closer! Think, Atreyu, think! I freeze as he stops at Joara, who is right next. She pauses, tapping at her chin with her forefinger pensively. Then she smiles—oh, what a beautiful smile—as she decides on a name.

"Aiden!" she proclaims happily.

I am happy for my friends. They seem so... peaceful. Content. But my happiness gives way to anxiety as the Elder stands before me, waiting. I look to the black Organoid, gnawing on my lower lip. A name? What kind of name? How should I know what he'd like? I wrack my brain for something... and there it is. Where... had I heard it before? I'm certain I must have. It seems so familiar.

He was right, the Elder. I do know what I need to know. I feel almost dreamlike as I reach out and place my hand on the Organoid's snout, rubbing gently.

"You are..."

* * *

"...Amaranth."

"Shush, I think he's waking up."

"Well for God's sake, don't crowd the boy."

"We just want to make sure he's all right, you know."

"Understandable, Lieutenant. However, I'm going to have to agree with the Major that we should give him some breathing space."

There are too many voices. Unfamiliar voices at that. But... wasn't I just at the Temple? And Amaranth, my Organoid, wasn't I with him? My head aches terribly. I'm not sure what's going on. Hesitantly, I crack an eye open. Finding it's not _too_ bright, the other follows. I'm in a bed, in an unfamiliar room. An there is a small group of people.

"Sir, how are you feeling?"

I blink and look up from where I lie. A bespectacled woman peers at me curiously with bright, lapis-lazuli eyes. I stare back.

"...where am I?"

My voice is soft and cracked; my throat is dry again.

"You're in a hospital. We were running a routine military exercise and happened to chance upon you in the middle of the desert. You were unconscious and you weren't clothed... do you know what may have happened to you?"

This answer and question comes from a man in... some sort of uniform. It's not unlike that of the bespectacled woman. Despite wearing a hat, I can see his mint green eyes and sandy hair quite clearly. The other man in the room has the same eye and hair color. They must be related...?

"I... woke up," I say softly, brow furrowed in concentration.

"O... kay," the other man sighs. "That doesn't give us much to go on."

I rub at my temples in a frustrated manner. My memories come in fragments. I remember why I was sealed away and some events before that, but it's all patch-work. I see a glass of water enter my line of vision and I accept it gratefully.

"Then do you have a name, at least?"

I look up to give a response, because that much, I know. However, my voice dies in my throat when I am met by a familiar pair of beautiful fuchsia eyes...

"J-Joara?!" I stammer.

But, no. It's not her. Still, the name brings some recognition to the woman as her eyes light up. She looks to me curiously.

"You know my mother?" she asks.

"Your... mother," I repeat numbly. "I... yes, I believe so."

"I see. Well, if I give her your name and she comes here, will that help any as far as figuring out what's happened?" the woman asks.

"I think it just might," I say. "My name is Atreyu."

"Alright, Atreyu. Oh... I'd almost forgotten. I'm Lauren. This is Thomas, that's his brother Karl, and our friend Artemis," the woman, Lauren, informs me.

I incline my head politely, but feel the need to do nothing more. I can feel Lauren's sympathetic gaze falling on me, even as the four of them become involved in discussion. At the sound of the door opening I look up to see three of them retreating from the room. The bespectacled woman has been left behind. She pulls up a seat next to the door.

"What are you doing there?" I ask, propped up on my bed's pillow.

"Well, the four of us decided that until we find out what's happened to you, it's important that you not be left alone. You seem to be suffering from some sort of amnesia, so it's been recommended by your doctor that someone be with you at all times," she explains carefully.

"In other words, you're merely a babysitter?" I propose, not in the mood for being treated as a child.

"If that is what you would call it, then yes. So don't bother asking me to leave," she chides me.

I sigh, running a hand through my dark lochs. I still feel tired. Drained. But despite that, I have a sort of restless energy that will not allow me to sleep. And I do not wish to sit in silence until Joara arrives. I feel a pang of loneliness strike the chords of my heart at the mere thought of her. With a daughter that age, she must have woken long before I. She must have moved on.

"What's your name?" I find myself asking.

"I believe Lauren told you."

"Yes, well, I've forgotten it."

"...Artemis."

"Oh. That's a nice name," I offer, hoping to stir some conversation.

"It serves its purpose when it needs to," she counters.

I bite back a sigh as she deflects the compliment. How odd this woman is! She sits silently by the door, arms folded across her chest and eyes shut lightly. I have the feeling she can see me despite that, but it doesn't stop me from examining her closely. After all, she's one of the first people I've seen in who knows how long.

Artemis is remarkably pale, which leads me to conclude that she either does not spend much time outdoors or is incredibly ill. She's rather... petite. I don't expect it would be very difficult to lift her, even in my weakened state. Her hair is a light brown color and despite being rather lengthy, it's tied in a neat ponytail that keeps it away from her eyes. Her clothing is foreign to me. I know that it must be some sort of uniform, as it is like that of the man... Karl, was it? Or perhaps Thomas. I don't recall.

"It's impolite to stare," Artemis informs me.

I am snapped out of my daze, finding sharp lapis-lazuli orbs trained on me.

"I, er... I apologize," I somehow manage to say despite being caught off guard.

"That's alright," she replies evenly, eyes drifting shut once more. But they don't stay that way for long. She looks upward suddenly, apparently deep in thought. After some length of time, she looks to me. "How about instead of you awkwardly trying to learn things about me that I won't tell you... I ask about you? It might help to jog your memory."

I almost want to laugh. I can tell she must be awkward in social situations herself, based on the way she asked. It's an attempt to be friendly, but in a way that it would seem she almost doesn't want me to know she's trying. Hiltz was like that. Or maybe... still is like that? He always hides behind his snarky, sarcastic, sardonic smirks... but he means well.

"I think that would be alright," I reply.

"Excellent. Alright, let's see..." she murmurs. "Well, do you recall any family members?"

"I have an older sister, Layla. And my parents, of course," I recite.

"I see. And what are they like?" Artemis prods.

"Layla is really very gifted. And she knows it, too. She isn't exactly egotistical... More like she knows she's good, and she isn't going to let anything stop her from using her abilities to their full extent. She likes to tease me a lot, but that was just how we get along," I explained, tapping my chin. "Mother and Father are both very supportive. Even if I'm not quite as talented as others my age... they've always stood by me."

"Sounds like you had a pretty pleasant childhood," my baby sitter states.

I wrinkle my nose in annoyance. "I'm not sure. I suppose I must have, but I can't seem to remember too much of it right now."

"Fair enough," she decides. "What about friends? Hobbies?"

"Friends? Ah... well, Joara is my friend. Um... a close friend. But her brother, Beowulf, scares me a bit. He's just got a look that chills me. Oh, and Amaranth! He's my partner. But I haven't seen him since I've woken up. We were placed together, but he's gone. I was looking for him in that desert, actually," I profess.

Artemis says nothing, choosing to stare at me instead. If I were a betting man, I would say that she had the most suspicious gleam in her eyes... I continue none-the-less.

"I have a few other friends. Acquaintances. But my best friend is Hiltz. You know, we've been together since we were kids. He was always the more aggressive one, so I guess I evened him out slightly with my passive nature and he evened me out with his aggressive nature. We usually hang out around the temple or in the jungle... there's always something he wants to do," I admit with a laugh.

"...Hiltz?" she repeats questioningly.

"Yes. Why, do you know him? Is he awake also?" I ask eagerly, feeling excitement blossom in my chest.

"Atreyu, you wouldn't happen to be an Ancient Zoidian, would you?" Artemis queries, adjusting her glasses as they balance precariously at the tip of her nose.

I offer her only a blank stare. Her question simply befuddles me. I voice the question lingering in the back of my mind. "Ancient? What do you mean by Ancient?"

She opens her mouth, but quickly clamps it shut. I can see she's distressed by whatever she's figured out, but that does not make the situation any clearer for me.

"Miss Artemis?" I ask tentatively.

She shakes her head, but before I can inquire any further, there is a knock at the door. She answers, beckoning whoever is there to come in. The little group has returned, and this apparently relieves her a great deal. But to my utter delight, they've brought with them the person I've been longing to see.

"Joara!"

The excited utterance has barely left my lips before I whip the blankets off of myself and make to get out of bed. Too soon, I discover, as my head swims and my knees give out. I feel strangely ill.

"Come on, come on, let's get you back in bed."

It's her voice. I offer up no resistance as I'm helped back into the bed. I get a good look at Joara as she takes a seat at the edge of my bed. Her long, platinum hair is the same. Her fuchsia eyes are the same. But she herself seems so very different. She's aged.

"What's happened?" I ask.

I'm almost ashamed as my voice is nothing more that a choked whisper. I don't understand anything.

"Atreyu, it's good to see you," Joara says with a warm smile.

I smell her familiar lilac scent as she moves aside my dark hair and places a kiss on my forehead; where a crimson crescent moon is tattooed. I close my eyes as she withdraws, feeling thick, hot tears run down my face.

I don't understand.

"We were all supposed to wake up together," I stutter, as I begin to sob uncontrollably. "Amaranth is gone. Joara, I can't find him anywhere. I don't know where Hiltz or Ambient are. He said we'd all find each other. L-Layla... and my parents... What's happened? I... I don't understand."

Joara embraces me in an an attempt to comfort me, but I find the tears only stream forth even more terribly than they had previously. Nothing has been explained. Nothing makes sense. This is agony.

I just don't understand.

"I'm sorry. I know, things weren't meant to turn out like this, but they have," Joara explains, choosing her words carefully. "I can explain things to you in time, but if I tried to do it all now, I'm not sure you could take it. Do you understand that much?"

Forehead still resting on her shoulder, I nod.

"Alright. In time, I promise. Everything will work itself out," Joara sighs.

I want to believe her.

* * *

Thomas Schubaltz sighed, running his hand through his tousled sandy hair anxiously. His mint green gaze traveled sideways, coming to rest on Lauren Starsword. He knew she was bothered by the whole situation, based on the way she tugged absently at a strand of her platinum blue hair. He himself couldn't help but allow his mind to wander to happier thoughts; a bit of a defense mechanism. They weren't sure when the wedding would be exactly, but their recent engagement seemed to do nothing but lift his spirits as of late.

"What do you suppose they're talking about?" Lauren voiced suddenly.

"I'm sure if we're patient, we'll find out," Karl decided. He glanced to Artemis. "Did you happen to find anything out, Major?"

Artemis Abendroth shifted uncomfortably. "Well, sir... perhaps."

"What does_ perhaps_ mean?" Thomas prodded her.

"It means I don't want to say anything until I'm certain," Artemis growled back.

"Alright, alright. We just wanted to know," Thomas said, rolling his eyes.

The group sat in silence, if only momentarily. "Fine. I think he's an Ancient Zoidian." The admittance did not appear to make her any less agitated.

"I suspected as much," Lauren replied with a nod. "After all, he seems to be a bit younger yet than Thomas and I, so for him to have known my mother, well... he would have been very young. Based on the way he was speaking of her, it didn't seem like he could have recalled her from childhood."

"He said Hiltz was his best friend," Artemis noted.

"Oh, great," Thomas grumbled. "I just hope he doesn't take a leaf out of his friend's book and try to perform mass genocide upon the human race."

Lauren crossed her arms. "Thomas, it's not like every Ancient Zoidian is out to kill everyone."

"Well, no, I mean... you know that's not what I meant," Thomas babbled, his face turning red as he once again stuck his foot in his mouth. "I'm just saying if he was friends with Hiltz... I dunno, maybe they bounced ideas off each other or something."

"Where's his Organoid?" Karl asked suddenly.

"Huh?"

"I asked where his Organoid was. From my understanding, Ancient Zoidians and their Organoids were sealed away and later woke together," Karl said, looking to Lauren for confirmation.

"Well, yes, that's true," Lauren admitted, tapping her chin in a manner not unlike her mother. "But without knowing the ruins he came from, we can't be sure that they weren't ransacked first, or whether his Organoid awoke before he did."

"You kids shouldn't be hanging around in the halls like this. It's loitering, you know!"

Artemis groaned and turned away, rubbing at her temples. Sauntering down the hallway was her older brother, Apollo, full of smiles and sunshine as usual. She often wondered how Karl hadn't snapped under the pressure yet. Apollo outranked them both, being that he was a Brigadier General, so their orders came from him. She hated it.

"What do you want, Apollo?" Artemis asked.

"Aw, come on, Art. I heard about your little find and decided it might be a good idea to head on over," Apollo informed them. "So, has he said anything yet?"

"A little bit to Artemis. But she's not telling us anything," Thomas said moodily, hoping his tactic would work.

"Oh, really now?" Apollo answered, gaze bearing down on his sister.

"What're you...? No. No, you listen to me, Apollo. You stay away from me or, I'll... I'll... Ack! PUT ME DOWN, YOU INGRATE!"

Apollo's laugh bellowed down the hall as he grabbed Artemis and hoisted her up. The short Imperial Major squeaked and flailed uselessly in an attempt to get back to the ground. Lauren rolled her eyes in Thomas' direction, obviously having figured out his motive. Well, they just wanted to learn a few things, after all.

"...General?" Karl questioned flatly.

"Huh? Oh. Right," Apollo said, looking to Artemis. "Ready to talk?"

She appeared to be in no mood to do so, and even less so when the door opened and Joara stepped out into the hallway. Apollo promptly put her down and she proceeded to glare daggers at the younger Schubaltz brother as she hurriedly attempted to get rid of the wrinkles in her uniform.

"...savage..." she grumbled at Apollo.

"Anything?" Lauren asked.

"He's asleep now. The nurse gave him a sedative," Joara informed them. "But we talked a bit, and I told him I'd explain everything in time. I had a feeling trying to tell it all at once would break him."

"So, he's an Ancient Zoidian after all," Karl surmised.

"Yes, I knew him back before we were all sealed away. He was a good friend," Joara sighed, appearing distant.

"Hey, I heard you guys found some guy unconscious in the desert!"

The group looked up. Coming their way was the collective group of Van, Fiona, Moonbay, Irvine, and Zeke. Thomas narrowed his eyes. Leave it to Van to show up at a time like this! The guy was just annoying. Sticking his nose in business that wasn't his, as usual.

"Oh, no you don't, Flyheight. You and the rest of your little gang can go park it somewhere else. The poor boy doesn't need you lot bothering him," Artemis asserted, bodily pushing Van away.

"We just wanted to see if we could do anything to help. Man!" Van grumbled, swatting her away.

"Lauren and I are more than capable of representing the Guardian Force in this matter," Thomas informed them.

"Oh, but Thomas, it's just like Van said. We only wanted to help," Fiona assured him.

"That's great. We've got it covered," Lauren said a tad irately. She'd never quite liked Fiona, for a few obvious reasons.

"Hey Schubaltz!"

The call had come from Rob Hermann, presently making his way down the hall with O'Connell in tow. Karl bit back a sigh, instead adjusting his hat and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Is _anyone_ working today?" he wondered aloud, directing the comment at no one in particular.

"Oh my Lord... it's Nurse Roberts," Apollo said suddenly. Though, to be fair, his voice was more of a yelp.

"N-N-Nurse Roberts?" Thomas stuttered, looking around wildly. He spotted the woman as she marched angrily toward their loud group. The hate was practically an aura around her. "We need to leave. Now."

"Who's Nurse Roberts?" O'Connell asked, having reached them.

"_I'M_ Nurse Roberts," said nurse boomed behind the teal haired captain. "And military or not, you have no right to come in here and disturb the peace! There are ill people on this ward and the last thing they need is to be kept up by your loud, annoying voiced. You two. Abendroth. Schubaltz. You _know_ what will happen if you and your little friends don't leave _this instant_, right?"

Thomas and Apollo nodded in a quick, jerky fashion.

"Good. _Get out_," Nurse Roberts growled.

Still, it was enough to get them moving along. Karl himself was secretly thankful they were leaving, mainly due to the fact that they were still technically on active duty.

"Real charmer, that one," Irvine noted suddenly.

"Man, she's got you two whipped," Van added, roaring with laughter.

"You say that but you haven't experienced the horror first hand," Apollo informed him, grimacing.

"I didn't know you'd stayed here under her care, too," Thomas said, looking perplexed.

"Oh. Yeah. Back during the war I had a pretty bad injury," Apollo informed him. "I was stuck here. For three weeks. It was hell on earth."

"Hell on earth? Oh, but that wouldn't be anything like the hell on earth that you impose upon us, would it?" Artemis sneered.

"Aw, c'mon Short Stuff, your brother's cool," Van laughed.

"Oh, look, you've got a fan club Apollo. How lovely," Artemis snorted, rolling her eyes. "And don't think that short comment escaped my notice, you fucking little prick. If you'd like to continue your petty and all together meaningless existence, you'll kindly shut the hell up, fuck you very much, because I may be tempted to just wring your little—"

"Major, enough," Karl growled.

Artemis flushed crimson, thoroughly abashed to have been reprimanded. "My apologies, sir."

Thomas grinned from ear to ear. Even though he wouldn't usually resort to that kind of language himself (being that he was a gentleman and it would be crude for him to do so), it was always refreshing to hear Artemis have a go. As they exited the hospital, however, he glanced worriedly at Lauren. She'd been strangely quiet. He touched her arm lightly and she looked up quickly, as though startled, but relaxed at seeing his worried glance.

"Something you want to talk about?" he asked.

"Well, no, not specifically. Just that... my mother wants to speak to us later, when all the others aren't around. She said it was something important about Atreyu," Lauren said.

"And you're worried about your mother?" Thomas guessed.

Lauren seemed surprised. "How did you know?"

"Well, I'd like to think I can tell when my wife-to-be is worried about something," he answered with a slight chuckle.

She grinned, brightening up slightly. "I'm just concerned about the pressure it might be putting on my mother. I don't know much about her before she was sealed away. What kind of life she may have had, what kind of friends she may have had... I just hope it isn't to painful to have to think of again. And she's spending the night here with Atreyu, which worries me more."

"Hmm. Well, maybe Remik can give us some answers? I'm sure she must have spoken with him about it at some point," Thomas noted.

"That's true, I suppose," Lauren said at the mention of her father.

They suddenly noticed just how far they had lagged behind the group. However, Karl and Artemis had waited behind for them to catch up.

"We're headed back to base to finish up the report from today. Were you two coming along?" Karl asked.

"No, I think we're going to stay here a while yet," Thomas replied.

Lauren wondered if she looked as shocked as she felt. She'd thought for sure that Thomas would want to head back. However, when she thought about it, it seemed likely that he was worried about her fretting and thought that by staying, she might feel a tad more relieved. She smiled slightly.

"I see," Karl replied shortly, eyes betraying his curiosity.

"We just want to follow through with Atreyu. I expect Doctor D will want to come down and speak with him the moment he hears of any of this, so it's probably best if we're here to, er... _intercept_ him," Thomas pointed out with a wry smile.

Karl smirked, apparently satisfied with his answer. "Alright then. Just make sure to keep out of trouble and call us if anything comes up."

The elder Schubaltz began to walk away after giving his younger brother a quick, understanding pat on the shoulder. He knew why they were really staying.

"I'll make sure to kick Van's ass for you while you're gone," Artemis promised, grinning in a somewhat manic way.

"Major, I'm not afraid to leave you behind," Karl hollered in warning.

"Er... c-coming, sir!" Artemis called back, tossing them a quick grin before dashing to catch up with her superior.

Thomas and Lauren watched them all leave in small groups, off to do whatever it was they needed to do. It was sometimes funny having to work alongside family and friends, but in the end, it was decidedly better off that way. If something ever went awry, well, Thomas and Lauren could always go to any number of people, assuming they couldn't fix the problem themselves which usually meant it was a matter of rank. If going to Karl, they usually received a stern lecture, but got what they needed from him. Despite what most people thought, the Imperial Colonel did not have a heart of ice.

If they were to try Artemis, then things became a bit dicey. Either way she asked a lot of questions. In the end, she would either help out, or just end up making the situation worse, which resulted in reprimands from Karl or Apollo. As far as Apollo, well he always doted on them. He often tried to dote on his sister, but she didn't appreciate his constant meddling, and so it was directed towards them instead. It could become a bit smothering at times, though.

"Hey, let's head back inside, alright?" Thomas said, flashing Lauren a quick smile.

"Yeah, sure," she responded with a nod.

However, as the two made their way towards the entrance, they caught sight of Joara running towards them. Sharing a concerned look with Thomas, Lauren darted forward and met her mother half-way.

"What's happened? What is it?" Lauren asked urgently.

"It's Atreyu. He's gone!"

* * *

A bottle of Jones FuFu Berry Soda to anyone who managed to read that in one sitting. Really, give yourself a hand! Anyway, assuming you're not half-dead, I would appreciate a review, some helpful critique, etc. I wouldn't like flames very much, only because it's very hot where I am already and my AC is broken. Hopefully you might come back for a second chapter... hopefully I'll write one. And hopefully, I wasn't too awful with this one!


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